Archived decisions
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
HUMAN RESOURCES 2006/07 | ||||||||||
3.17 |
Consideration should be given to the future development of local performance indicators to support the work of the Workforce Support and Workforce Planning sections. |
1 |
Human Resources Managers (Workforce Support and Planning) |
Director of Human Resources |
This has been done in the past and will be reviewed by the two team leaders for Workforce Support and Planning. |
30/06/2008 |
22/10/2007 24/01/2008 13/06/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
FINAL ACCOUNTS AUDIT 2006/07 | ||||||||||
R5 |
Service Level Agreement (SLA) The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service/ Hampshire County Council Service Level Agreement should be completed and formally put in place. |
N/A |
Director of Corporate Services |
Director of Corporate Services |
Progress on this has been regularly reported to the Performance Review & Scrutiny Committee. A new and much improved Service Level Agreement (SLA) for services provided by Hampshire County Council's Property Business and Regulatory Services has been signed. Draft Service Level Agreements for other services are currently being finalised. |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
PENSION ARRANGEMENTS 2006/07 | ||||||||||
3.2 |
We recommend that a formally signed Service Level Agreement should be held by the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority for the provision of pension services. |
3 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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3.3 |
We recommend that the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority should agree the detail needed in the Service Level Agreement with Hampshire County Council Pensions Section prior to the anticipated update. |
3 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.5 |
We recommend that a representative of the contractor should sign the Service Level Agreement. |
2 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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3.9 |
We recommend that the review process for service provision under the Service Level Agreement should be formalised and areas for review documented. This is in addition to the brief reference to pension work under appropriate individuals' job descriptions. |
2 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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3.10 |
We recommend that formal liaison meetings between Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority should be instituted and held on a regular (quarterly) basis. All meetings should be minuted. |
2 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
_ Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.12 |
We recommend that the Service Level Agreement should include all aspects of financial management information. |
2 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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3.15 |
We recommend that the Service Level Agreement should indicate that the responsibility for issuing variations is assigned to the Assistant County Treasurer. |
2 |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Head of Financial & Office Services/ Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
14/05/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
DEBTORS AND CASH INCOME 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.5 |
We recommend that deputising arrangements in the Business Education Unit (BEU) should be formalised and recorded in relevant job descriptions. In addition, in the Information Services Department, handover procedures should be established and formalised. |
1 |
Business Education Unit-Marketing & Development Coordinator Information Services Manager / Senior Administrator |
Director of Corporate Services Head of Marketing & Comms Area Manager Community Safety |
Business Education Unit - Agreed Information Services - A pro-active audit is taking place at the end of Jan/ beginning of Feb 2008 by from the Hampshire County Council Audit team. This will look at the complete mobile billing process up to the procedure of payments. Following this audit, recommendations will be made and the process refined. |
Mar 2008 Extended to 30/06/2008
|
15/02/2008 14/05/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: The deputising arrangements for the Business Education Unit have been completed. The procedures for the Information Services Department are still ongoing as they are awaiting the results of some `proactive' audit work that has been recently undertaken. It is envisaged that once the results of this work have been received, implementation of this recommendation will be promptly undertaken. | ||||||||||
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.7 |
We recommend that a pricing policy should be established and documented to clarify pricing in the Authority. |
2 |
Financial Services Manager |
Head of Finance & Office Services |
Agreed. |
March 2008 Extended to 30/06/2008 |
15/02/2008 14/05/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: The pricing policy has been compiled and circulated for consultation. | ||||||||||
3.8 |
We recommend that consideration should be given to conducting a work study on the collection of mobile phone/ 'blackberry' income to determine whether an improved and more streamlined system of collection could replace the existing method of collection. In particular, consideration should be given to replacing the existing system with the collection of a set nominal amount from all users through the payroll for private calls. |
2 |
Information Services Manager/ Information Services Senior Administrator |
Director of Corporate Services |
A pro-active audit is taking place at the end of Jan/ beginning of Feb 2008 the Hampshire County Council Audit team. This will look at the complete mobile billing process up to the procedure of payments. Following this audit, recommendations will be made and the process refined. |
March 2008 Extended to 30/06/2008 |
15/02/2008 14/05/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
Performance Review Team Note: the work outlined in the recommendation has been completed and a report on the outcome is currently being awaited. | ||||||||||
3.11 |
We recommend that the handover procedures for income are documented to clarify roles when the responsibility for collected income is transferred |
1 |
Business Education Unit-Marketing & Development Coordinator Information Services Manager / Senior Administrator |
Director of Corporate Services Head of Marketing & Communications Area Manager Community Safety |
Business Education Unit - Agreed Information Services - A pro-active audit is taking place at the end of Jan/ beginning of Feb 2008 by from the Hampshire County Council Audit team. This will look at the complete mobile billing process up to the procedure of payments. Following this audit, recommendations will be made and the process refined. |
30/03/2008 March 2006 Extended to 30/06/2008 |
15/02/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: The handover procedures for the Business Education Unit have been completed. The handover procedures for the Information Services Department are still ongoing as they are awaiting the results of some `proactive' audit work that has been recently undertaken. It is envisaged that once the results of this work have been received, implementation of this recommendation will be promptly undertaken. | ||||||||||
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.14 |
We recommend that the Information Services Department should issue receipts for all mobile phone income received through the department. |
1 |
Information Services Manager/ Information Services Senior Administrator |
Director of Corporate Services |
Financial Services Manager has spoken to Internal Audit, about Information Services issuing separate receipts to mobile phone users on behalf of the Information Services Senior Administrator. Internal Audit have said the receipts are to strengthen the audit trail. They agreed that if the system is to be reviewed it may not be necessary to issue receipts and it would make sense to wait until after the pro-active audit is completed. |
March 2008 Extended to 30/06/2008 |
15/02/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: The procedures for issuing receipts for the mobile phone income are still ongoing as Information Services are awaiting the results of some `proactive' audit work that has been recently undertaken. It is envisaged that once the results of this work have been received, implementation of this recommendation will be promptly undertaken. | ||||||||||
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
SERVICE ORDERS 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.8 |
Service Orders should be documented on a spreadsheet at Central & Support Services to incorporate the reference number, order name, author and date due for review. This will enable the Central Services Assistant to monitor and notify the author when a Service Order is due for review centrally. |
2 |
Central Services Assistant |
Head of Financial & Office Services |
The Central Services Assistant is in discussion with Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service's Information Services Department with a view to the latter Department setting up a spreadsheet for this purpose. The Central Services Assistant will then populate the spreadsheet with the recommended information. |
1/10/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
_ Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
WORKSHOPS 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.33 |
We recommend that the Trace system should be substituted for a more robust and suitable system at the earliest opportunity. |
3 |
Workshop Manager |
Director of Strategic Projects & Specialist Response |
New Fleet Management System currently being sourced. Due to be purchased by Apr 2008 and implemented by September 2008. |
September 2008 |
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3.39 |
We recommend that management should complete a trend analysis in respect of both fuel usage and cost over selected periods each year. |
2 |
Workshop Manager |
Director of Strategic Projects & Specialist Response |
Agreed. |
September 2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
FOLLOW-UP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CAPITAL CONTRACTS 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.6 |
Consideration should be given to developing a computerised system with appropriate linkages to the individual details in the register to the overall summaries contained in the property strategy. |
3 |
Property Services Manager in conjunction with Information Services Manager |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed, we identified this as something we wanted to do once we were happy that the format of the register is working well. Given the flow of information, it might be better to consider whether the condition survey data could be sent to us as a set of linked spreadsheets by Property Business and Regulatory Services (PBRS). |
31/03/2009 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.6 |
In the longer term, consideration should be given to introducing an asset management system (linked to the Hampshire County Council computer system) in order to support the Property Strategy and Register. |
1 |
Property Services Manager in conjunction with Information Services Manager |
Director of Corporate Services |
We have already looked at a property management application (EPIS) used by Hampshire County Council, but concluded that its current state of development would add little real value. We will continue to monitor application development as part of SAP exploitation. We could report back our views by 31 March 2009. |
31 March 2009 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.7 |
The details contained in the property strategy should be compatible with the terrier of Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service properties maintained by Property Business and Regulatory Services (PBRS) in their IT system. |
3 |
Property Services Manager in conjunction with Information Services Manager |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed and the solution is linked to comments made in 3.6 and 3.7 above |
31/03/2009 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
PAYROLL 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.2 |
We recommend that all job descriptions should be reviewed annually to ensure documented responsibilities are current. |
1 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Project is already underway to bring all green book job descriptions up to date and present in new, clearer, standard format. |
June 2008 Extended to 31/08/2008 |
6/06/2008 |
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3.3 |
We recommend that the Service Level Agreement for payroll services between Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority and Hampshire County Council should be finalised promptly in order to confirm the required level of service provision. |
2 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Agreed |
30/06/2008 |
13/05/2008 |
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3.7 |
We recommend that the Payroll Supervisor should ensure that sufficient test checking of payroll input data is achieved. All verification should be evidenced. |
2 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Accepted |
April 2008 Extended to 31/07/2008 |
13/05/2008 06/06/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: the vacant post of Payroll Supervisor will be filled from July 2008. | ||||||||||
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.11 |
We recommend that the Information Systems Officer should verify larger samples of payroll data and these checks should be evidenced. In addition, the Payroll Supervisor should also undertake independent sample checks of payroll amendments for assurance purposes. |
2 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Accepted - Human Resources Information System Officer and payroll supervisor to be advised and systems put in place to evidence checking undertaken. |
April 2008 Extended to 31/07/2008 |
13/05/2008 |
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Performance Review Team Note: the vacant post of Payroll Supervisor will be filled from July 2008. | ||||||||||
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.12 |
We recommend that consideration should be given to banks/building societies being charged an administration fee for the completion and issue of mortgage letters on behalf of staff. |
1 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Agreed - the practicalities of this will be investigated, with the proviso however that we do not want this cost to be directly passed on to our staff by the lenders. |
July 2008 |
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3.13 |
We recommend that line managers should be reminded of the importance of forwarding promptly any documentation notifying the Workforce Support Section of an employee leaving in order to ensure an accurate final pay assessment and payment. |
2 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Agreed - will investigate current arrangements/leaver notification routes and action an appropriate solution to this issue. |
July 2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.22 |
We recommend that an evaluation of SAP payroll access for Workforce Support, Workforce Planning and Station Support staff should be undertaken to ensure that access is sufficiently restricted and appropriate. In addition, an overall review of access to the payroll system through SAP should be conducted in order to determine whether current access is appropriate and sufficiently restricted. |
3 |
Human Resources Manager |
Director of Human Resources |
Agreed - this is currently ongoing. Station Support access has already been modified to remove read access to payroll information. Meetings have been held and are continuing with Audit Services regarding this issue. |
July 2008 |
17/03/2008 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
COMMUNITY FIRE RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (CFRMIS) 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.2 |
A decision should be made as to how important logging of accessing individual records is to the Service. If the controls are complied with, then only authorised users and IT staff should have access to the data. These should only be people with a business requirement to see the data . |
2 |
CFRMIS Development Officer |
Assistant Chief Officer - Community Safety Service Delivery |
The software supplier is currently developing an auditable security system which will enable more effective control and monitoring of authorised/unauthorised access. |
April 2009 |
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 2007/08 | ||||||||||
3.3 |
We recommend that the Terms of Reference for the Committees of the Fire Authority should be sufficiently comprehensive to be meaningful and be dated and review dated to confirm they are current. |
2 |
Clerk to the Authority in conjunction with the Chief Officer |
Chief Officer |
Terms of Reference are being drafted in line with a corporate template for all HFRA committees. |
Quarter 3 2008/09 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.11 |
We recommend that managers completing commentaries on performance should be reminded of the importance of providing sufficient detail, in order to facilitate sound performance monitoring. |
2 |
Performance Review Team Manager |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed |
Quarter 1 2008/09 |
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3.15 |
We recommend that `use of resources' opportunities should be given higher priority in the planning process in respect of all activities. |
2 |
Director of Corporate Services |
Director of Corporate Services |
The need to identify £1.055m of ongoing efficiency gains in each of the three years 2008/09 to 2010/11 makes this a high priority. The Authority is aware that any new growth items will need to funded from off-setting efficiency savings. In preparing the next annual update of the Plan (IRMP), greater emphasis will be put on delivering our services in a more cost-effective way. |
2008/09 |
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Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority 1=Low 2=Med 3=High |
Post responsible |
Service Management Team |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow up Date |
Date Closed | ||
3.16 |
We recommend that the current strategy for benchmarking should be further considered, in order that reviews of performance and costs may be fully effective. |
2 |
Performance Review Team Manager and Director of Corporate Services |
Director of Corporate Services |
Opportunities will be taken through the Family Group 4 network and also at regional level (particularly in respect of the costs of support services). |
Quarter 4 2008/09 |
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I:\Groups\Performance Review\07 - HFRA Committees\03 - Governance Committee\Governance Committe 2008-06-27\Audit Action Plan - Ongoing Appendix 1.doc
Secretarial/WP/C/HFRA/Governance HFRA Gov 26 6 08 Internal audit Appx 1 Ongoing actions NW/JMW/16/6/08